Ah...the good ol' Company Holiday Party. (or Non-Denominational End-of-Year Celebration, or whatever people are calling it these days...) We all know there are certain rules, written and unwritten, that party-goers should follow - this is a COMPANY party after all. Bosses will be there, and so will Human Resources! And no matter what anyone tells you, what happens at the company holiday party definitely does NOT stay at the company holiday party.

As a caterer and event producer, we follow some rules of our own. Rule #1 - serve the best food our guests have ever had at their party. Rule #2 - deliver service that far and away surpasses their expectations. Rule #3 - don't be boring. And that rule applies across the board! We've got to keep our clients and their guests entertained - it's supposed to be a party, right? So when we have the opportunity to design and produce the entire event, not just the catering, we love to put on a great show.

For two clients on back-to-back nights, we brought together music, dance, and performance that celebrated their shared "Winter in New York" theme. On the first night, guests danced to the beat of a different drummer. Literally. A club-style DJ played with a percussionist, saxophonist, and guitarist, mixing live music with house, dance, Top 40 and classic hits. On the second night, a 13-piece live band came in from the East Coast, and rocked their way through soul, Motown, classic rock, Top 40 hits, and everything in between...and did it for three hours without taking a single set break! Breakdancers performed around the room, NYC street-style with giant boom boxes and cardboard taped to the floor. On cue, they came together on the dance floor for a choreographed performance that had every phone in the joint pointed at them for the inevitable social media posts.

For fun we added some other performers including a "Living Tree" and Rockettes-inspired dancers. As guests entered the party, they stopped in their tracks as a giant tree came walking toward them. Perfect photo-op and #selfie explosion! "Snow-dusted" leaves and bare branches gave us the wintry weather vibe we needed. For the transition from pre-reception to full party began, high-kicking ladies took to the dance floor for their own choreographed number, set to a funky remix of Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York". Then the dancers made their way to the main stage, dancing in formation, then splitting in the middle to create the perfect intro for the husband-and-wife team of CEO and Chair of the company foundation. The two of them loved it even more than the crowd, and the dancers formed a great backdrop while they welcomed their employees and guests to the party. For a few hours on two nights, WestWorld of Scottsdale became Manhattan in December - and fun was had by all!

CLICK ON THE PHOTOS BELOW TO CHECK OUT OUR SLIDESHOWS!

Music is literally the soundtrack of your party. It better be a good soundtrack.

A few years ago, we decided to change up our annual all-staff "orientation" meeting - we realized that we needed to add some FUN to our otherwise informative-but-not-exciting Season kick-off meeting. After all...our favorite of our three core values is MAKE HUGE FUN! So we added themes and activities to our annual meetings, and it was the best thing we could have done.

The first go-round, we changed the entire meeting format to be that of a late-night talk show. We got a lot of laughs, and sure enough, we noticed a lot less glazing-over in people's eyes as we shared tons of information with them. Lesson #1 learned - be funny and don't take ourselves too seriously. Then we added prizes, and sure enough, everyone now was excited to stay until the end of the meeting. Lesson #2 learned - everyone loves to win cool prizes. Next up we added an internal department "trade show", and handed out lots of company-branded SWAG (Stuff We All Get). We even gave them more chances to win the big prizes if they visited ALL of the "booths". Lesson #3 learned - keep them engaged and keep it personal.

The 2017 All-Hands Meeting also marked our company's 20th anniversary. Hard to believe, but our first venture, the restaurant Michael's at the Citadel, opened at the end of September 1997. Back then, none of us even dreamed of the company that M Culinary Concepts is today, with three off-premise catering brands, dozens of exclusive and preferred venues, a business dining division, two wildland firefighting catering mobile kitchens, and a consulting business. We didn't know that we'd be the primary caterer for the Waste Management Phoenix Open, the most highly attended tournament on the PGA Tour - and a spectator event like no other! Or the caterer for Barrett-Jackson. Or TrackTown, the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials in Oregon. Or several years' Fiesta Bowl events, and CFP Championship events here in Arizona and across the U.S. - crazy!!!

We could not be prouder of the team that makes up M Culinary Concepts. We work hard; we play hard; we drive hard. Every day we do our best to live up to our missions to deliver Customized Experiences That Surpass Expectations. And we are guided by our three core values, committed to Inspire Passion in everyone around us, to live and work with Integrity Always, and to always Make Huge Fun!

Ladies and Gentlemen......The Class of 2017. And this is only a few of us - we've got a few hundred more that couldn't be in the photo.

Our co-founder, Brandon, who today is M Culinary Concepts' CEO & President. He had a LOT of exciting info to share with our team - so much is happening!

So many great teams and great rewards programs here at M Culinary Concepts!!!

Some members of our FOH Service Team checking out Chef Peter's "PLINKO" game - adapted to M Culinary of course!

PRIZES!!! YES!!! Everyone loves prizes, from small appliances to GoPro cameras to iPads to big-screen TVs.

Mike, our 17-year company veteran (from restaurant employee to Director of Catering Operations!), making huge fun with one of our Culinarians who happened to win the top prize...for the second year in a row!

A fantastic addition to a stations party, the on-trend Ramen Station hits all the right notes with guests. The subtle broth, perfect noodles, spiced meats, crisp vegetables, and bright herbs delight guests' palates. And the dish lends itself to fantastic vegetarian options - and even vegan/gluten-free with some clever substitutions - options for guests of a certain dietary persuasion.

Let's plan your next Autumn/Winter celebration and make sure that our Chef-Action Ramen Station is on the menu!

We follow the Special Events blog, checking out what's happening across our industry, keeping up with trends, and looking at some gorgeous photography. Every now and then, we come across a post with real meaning - we're talking real impact. The kind of post that takes you on an emotional journey.

This post, while sad and poignant, left us with a better understanding of what it is to love someone else. To be loved by others. To celebrate love and life even in times of personal tragedy. Especially in times of personal tragedy.

This post by Wedding Planner and Expert Gwen Helbush is worth the read...and the tissues you will need while reading it. We salute Gwen for her unwavering commitment to her clients and her craft. We are proud to be part of an industry with people like Gwen.